


Five Years Too Late

by Kaleido (CreativeChemist)



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Crisis Core (Compilation of FFVII) Spoilers, Mako Poisoning (Compilation of FFVII), Survivor Guilt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-28
Updated: 2020-04-28
Packaged: 2021-03-02 01:54:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 753
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23897122
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CreativeChemist/pseuds/Kaleido
Summary: Was it all a dream? Will I never know?Foolish and blind, to everythingHad I realized, had I thought it throughWould you be here, in my embrace?Hollow | Final Fantasy VII REMAKE Theme SongMusic: Nobuo UematsuVocals: Yosh [Survive Said The Prophet]Lyrics: Kazushige Nojima | Translation: Ben Sabin, John CrowArrangement & Synth Programming: Kenichiro Fukui
Kudos: 8





	Five Years Too Late

Where…am I?

“What do you want to do with him?”

Am I…dreaming? Is this a dream?

“…Forget it. Just leave him.”

Leave who? Leave…me? Are they talking about me? Who are they?

Whoever they are, their footsteps are getting quieter. What is going on? Why do I feel so heavy? Why does my head feel so foggy?

I feel so tired… What happened to me?

The last thing I remember is…fire. Fire everywhere.

Fire…burning my home down…with Mom trapped inside.

Sephiroth.

Sephiroth… He… He destroyed Nibelheim. He left everyone to die. But why? Was it something about the reactor on Mount Nibel?

Yeah… It must’ve been, ‘cause I remember following Sephiroth to the reactor. I followed Sephiroth to the reactor, grabbed Zack’s sword, stabbed Sephiroth, then he stabbed me. I threw Sephiroth into the reactor then blacked out.

I’m…alive? How did I survive? Where am I? Who found me?

Wherever I am, it’s raining. It’s raining and cold. I can’t hear anything except the rain. My clothes are all soggy. My heart sounds like a drum in my ears.

Wherever I am, I can’t be dreaming. This feels too real to be a dream.

Wait a minute… Where’s Zack? Where’s Tifa? Are they safe? Did somebody find them too? They were badly hurt when I got there. I got to the reactor too late to protect them.

If only I was a SOLDIER…

Wait… What is this? What is this pauldron I’m wearing? What are these gloves on my hands? Aren’t these Zack’s?

“Zack…”

Why am I wearing Zack’s SOLDIER uniform? Where’s Zack?

My body is pulling itself forward against the rock, almost by instinct. Every muscle in my body is screaming. I have to find him. I have to find Zack. Even if I have to crawl to the ends of the Planet to find him, I will find you, Zack.

Wait… Is that him? Zack, is that you? Why are you lying on the ground? Why aren’t you moving?

There’s no doubt. It’s him. I have to get to him. He needs my help.

What happened? What happened to you, Zack?

Why are you clothes all red? Why is your face all bloody? Why won’t you say anything?

A gunshot in his chest. Torn skin on the side of his face. Glazed eyes. I want to throw up. This can’t be real. This can’t be happening.

“Zack…”

Say something. Anything. Please… You can’t leave. This can’t be it.

I need you.

You can’t be dead.

Dead…

Zack is dead.

They got him. They killed him. They killed him…but spared me. Why did they spare me?

Zack… Didn’t you say something about starting over in Midgar once? Something about becoming mercenaries together?

We were so close, Zack. We were so close, but… But—!

My eyes are burning. Zack’s hand feels stiff and cold. I can’t stop shaking.

Zack is dead.

Zack is dead.

Zack is dead, because of me.

Dead, because of me.

It was supposed to be me, not Zack.

Why am I still alive?

Why am I still alive!?

No, no, no, no, NO!!

“ZACK!!”

I scream. I scream for them to give me Zack back. I scream because it’s the only thing I can do.

Midgar is melting behind my tears. We’ll never be mercenaries together. Zack will never get to live his dream. All because of me… All because I was too damn weak to protect him! All because I—!

Wait… Maybe… Maybe I can live his dream for the both of us. Maybe that’s the reason why I’m still alive…

Zack… Do you want that? Is that what you’d want?

I take his sword in my hands. It feels a lot lighter than the first time I held it. Is that him giving me his strength? Me, of all people?

I stumble to my feet. The whole world is spinning. Spinning around Zack and me. Expanding in every direction.

Zack… I promise I won’t let your death be in vain. I promise I’ll avenge you and carry on your legacy. I know I’ll never be able to live up to your name, but…thank you for always looking out for me. Me… Just an ordinary foot soldier. I’m sorry I failed you. I’m sorry I couldn’t save you. You were a true friend. No matter what happens…

I lift my head and fasten his sword to my back.

“No matter what happens, I promise I’ll never forget you, Zack.”

**Author's Note:**

> This work was inspired by my first play-through of FFVII, which I completed a few months ago. Upon completing FFVII REMAKE recently, I felt a tug to publish this.


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